Oil and debris removal unit

ABSTRACT

An improved Oil and Debris Removal Unit comprising an endless belt mounted on a pair of rotating drums supported at each end of an elongate framework. Means are affixed to one of the drums for moving it to adjust the tension in the belt and a wiper means is mounted to the framework for cleaning oil from either the upper, lower or both surfaces of the belt. Scoop means having fluid release slots therein are pivotly mounted to the exterior surface of the belt and are adapted to pick up, move and deposit solid debris while the belt surface itself is adapted to attract and retain oil until the latter is removed by the wiper means.

United States Patent 1 1 Condit, Jr.

[H1 3,891,558 [45] June 24, 1975 1 OIL AND DEBRIS REMOVAL UNIT {76] Inventor: Paul Condit, Jr., 1 1327 Sage Park,

Houston, Tex. 77034 22 Filed: Dec. 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 312,605

52 us. Cl. 210/526 [51] Int. Cl. 801d 43/00 [58] Field 01 Search 210/525, 526; 198/141 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 645,171 3/1900 Heffner 198/141 X 918,054 4/1909 Jackson t 210/526 X 2,106.156 1/1938 210/526 X 3,021,957 2/1962 Lowry 210/526 3,314,545 4/1967 Crabbe et al.. 210/526 X 3,643,804 2/1972 Sharpton 210/526 3,686,798 8/1972 Copresti 51/148 X Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmBemard A, Reiter [57] ABSTRACT An improved Oil and Debris Removal Unit comprising an endless belt mounted on a pair of rotating drums supported at each end of an elongate framework. Means are affixed to one of the drums for moving it to adjust the tension in the belt and a wiper means is mounted to the framework for cleaning oil from either the upper, lower or both surfaces of the belt. Scoop means having fluid release slots therein are pivotly mounted to the exterior surface of the belt and are adapted to pick up, move and deposit solid debris while the belt surface itself is adapted to attract and retain oil until the latter is removed by the wiper means.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 24 I975 SHEET OIL AND DEBRIS REMOVAL UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to the removal of oil films from water and also to the removal of flotsam and jetsam which one typically finds in polluted waters.

The pollution of coastal waters, inland waterways and harbors poses serious problems which are best approached through acts of prevention rather than through the use of remedies. Regardless of the care taken to prevent pollution, however. there occurs accidents which call for various types of water filtration and cleaning devices. One such accidental occurrence resides in the form of the leakage of substantial quantities of relatively heavy oil, such as crude oil or fuel oil, which escapes due to leaking pipelines or from oceangoing tankers. Separating this oil and other debris from the water is a difficult task which requires an approach that is both economical, yet capable of removing the oil and debris in an expeditiousrnanner so as to prevent dispersion of the oil into clean water areas.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention endeavors to accomplish these objectives by providing anlendless belt conveyor to which the oil is intended. to adhere and which is characterized by a plurality of scoops that are attached to the surface of the belt for retrievingand dumping the flotsam and other debris of a solid or quasi solid nature. Additionally, a particular advantage "of the invention resides in an endless conveyor which may be pivotly mounted and is therefore adapted to assume multiple angular relationships in which one lower end is intended to be in contact with the water and the other upper end in adjacent relation to receptacle means. The conveyor may be positioned at varying angles so that the receptacle means may be at any height above the water. A further advantage of the invention resides in the provision for adjustable wiper blades intended to clean oil from the undersurface of the belt; and for modified wiper blades which may clean the upper surface of the belt even though debris scoops are attached thereto. A still further advantage of the present invention resides in'adju stable tension means at one end of DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a central fulcrum type mounting means and an alternativecantilever type mounting means in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a modified conveyor in accordance with the concept ofthe invention and in which the conveyor is disposed in substantially vertical position.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the conveyor and receptacle of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an isometric illustration of the scoop mechanism used in connection with the conveyor of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is of top view along the plane 55 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference now to FIG. I there is shown an elongate frame for the conveyor comprising the longitudinal beams l and lateral beams 3 disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal beams so as to produce a tunnel like structure in which the endless conveyor 5 is mounted. Adequate diagonal beams 7 are provided as required in order to rigidify and strengthen the frame. A mounting fulcrum 9 supports the frame at a position intermediate its ends and is provided with axle pins upon which the frame is adapted to pivot. The mounting fulcrum 9 may be supported by a foundation means constructed in the water or on a barge, ship or other floating structure or on land. At a first end of the frame structure there is provided shaft 17 which is mounted to the frame structure such as by lateral beams 3a and 3b. The lateral beams 30, 3b are adapted to support the movable mounting block 19 which may be vertically adjusted and tightened through the use of the threaded adjustment pins 21. Adjustment pins 21 are used for vertically moving the position of shaft 17 in order to influence tension in the drive mechanism from motor means 23. Mounted adjacent to shaft 17 is a drive means 23 which may comprise an appropriate motor operably coupled to the shaft for driving a first drum 25 carried thereon. The drum 25 is adapted to rotate in counter clockwise direction so as to drive conveyor belt 5 which rides thereon. The second end of conveyor belt 5 is supported by second drum 27 mounted on shaft 29 at the opposite end of the elongate frame. Shaft 29 is mounted at either end on the longitudinally adjustable mounting bar 33. Threaded adjustment pins 35 are provided in an adjacent lateral frame member 3c so as to adjustably position mounting bar 33, thereby moving shaft 29 in order to adjust the tension in belt 5.

The conveyor belt 5 may be constructed from appropriate belting material and should be characterized by good flexibility, minimal elongation during use, and a surface to which oil and petroleum products have an affinity. The conveyor belt is further characterized by a plurality of flights 39 intermittently disposed along the length thereof for picking up and transporting flotsam and other debris from the water. The flights 39 may be connected to the belt at their forward end 390 by a tab 39b (see FIG. 4). Each of the flights have slots or elongate openings 43 and/or side drain holes and optional prongs 46 for retrieving and holding debris. The slot means 43 are provided in order to allow fluid. such as water, to leave the flight after it has dipped into the water in order to pick up debris and garbage. Solids, such as the debris, remain in the flight and are conveyed along to a receptacle area adjacent to the first drum 25.

Also adjacent to first drum 25 there is shown alternate mounting means for the endless conveyor of the invention. Here the conveyor is mounted in cantilever fashion upon the mounting means 43 rather than upon fulcrum support 9. Mounting means 43 may, like support 9, be used when the conveyor is supported from a floating vessel or from a dock or other foundation structure adjacent to water.

Regardless of the mounting method, the unit is characterized by a wiper blade 44 mounted thereon so as to bear against and scrape clean the undersurface of belt 5. A drain through (not shown) may be appropriately positioned beneath the blade so as to carry away the oil and residue cleaned from the belt.

With reference now to FIG. 2 there is shown a side view of the modified form of the conveyor belt a which is used in substantially vertical position in order so as to be introduced to polluted water and to remove oil and debris therefrom. Here it may be seen that the drum 25a is driven by an appropriate motor means (not shown) in order to rotate in a counter clockwise direction, thereby causing flights 39a to dip into the water 61 at the end of the belt opposite drum 25. The entire structure is positioned at an appropriate height above the water so as to most effectively utilize the dipping and retrieving action of the flights. As shown, the lower end 55 clips freely into the water. This end is unencumbered and unreinforced by any drum or supporting frame structure. In this embodiment the conveyor hangs freely, rotates in a counter clockwise direction, and is simply driven by movement of drum 2S.

Adjacent to the drum 25 and in operative relation thereto is a receptacle or trough 45, (see FIG. 3), which extends across the width of the conveyor in parallel relation thereto. The trough 45 has, in operative communication to the interior thereof, a drain trough 47 through which oil and debris may flow. The trough 45 is further characterized by a spring biased wiper blade 49, so mounted as to forcefully bear against the exterior surface of the conveyor belt 5a as it passes by. The wiper blade thus skims oil from the belt which is adhering to the surface thereof. As shown, (FIGS. 2 and 3), the belt 5a is disposed to travel through trough 45 wherein there is provided elongate opening 63 (FIG. 5). The opening 63 is further characterized by extended apertures 65 through which travels the cam ming rails described hereafter. The opening 63 is however of sufficient width to pass the flights 39a therethrough, thus allowing spring biased wiper blade 49 to clean the belt surface. Since the wiper may only skim the belt at positions intermediate each of the passing flights 39, means are provided for lifting the wiper 49 immediately prior to the passing of each flight.

This means takes the form of a pair of camming rails 51, each of which are disposed on the belt and connected thereto. The configuration of each of the rails 51 is such as to provide a track which lifts wiper 49 over each flight and lets the wiper down on the trailing side so as to continue thereafter the removal of the oil film from the surface of the belts. In order to facilitate movement of the wiper blade onto and over the camming rails 51 there is provided at the terminal end and on each side of the wiper 49 a skid or roller means 53 which is intended to enhance movement of the blade over the flight. It will thus be visualized that as the belt rotates in its counter clockwise direction the wiper blade intermittently removes oil and film from the surface of the belt, such oil and film falling onto the upper surface of the blade and hence into the trough 45. Similarly as the flights 39a move in their counter clockwise direction on the belt up and over drum 25a the flights are inherently tipped into a dumping position so that the contents thereof is dropped, by gravity force, onto the wiper and hence into the trough and from which it is carried away by other conduits 47 or slides (not shown).

It will be recognized that the wiper blade 49 must be of relatively rigid construction and must be biased in a counter clockwise direction so as to exert a force against the surface of belt 5a. Thus the direction of the belt at the point of contact would be opposite to that of the biased force exerted by wiper 49 a consequence of the biasing means 57 or the like connected thereto.

In operation the endless conveyor of the present invention may be utilized effectively in many different ways. It may for example be utilized as a conveyor only for removing oil and/or other petroleum film from a body of water and in such use the fulcrum or cantilever supported conveyor of FIG. 1, without flights. is a desirable alternative. On the other hand the utilization of flights where debris is present. as shown in FIG. l, as sures the removal of both oil and debris with the same unit, the alternative mounting means still being present. Should heavy debris or elongate debris be present in the water alternative flight means, such as shown in FIG. 4 are advisable in order to retrieve thedebris from the water and convey it to an appropriate receptacle area. Still further in the event that it is advisable to mount the oil retrieval unit from the side of a ship or at a dock near a waterway, the vertically mounted unit of FIG. 2 may be chosen. Here the free end or bottom end 55 of the endless belt is unsupported and, as a consequence of its own weight, provides the necessary tension in the belt 5. Also the belt is of sufficient length to reach the water, dip thereinto, and to allow the flights 39a to retrieve debris and transport the same upwardly and into receptacle area 45. The biased mounted scraper blade 49 cleans the oil from the surface of the belt and is, with facility, lifted over each of the flights as they pass by with their respective track means 51. This allows debris to be deposited into receptacle area 45 while at the same time assuring the simultaneous deposit of oil film thereinto, all as a consequence of the dual wiping and debris slide function performed by wiper blade 49.

Although various forms of the invention have been shown herein it is to be recognized that these are intended only for exemplarary purposes and that various other modifications and changes may be made to the structure herein without depaning from the spirit and the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, that which is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1'. In an endless belt conveyor apparatus for removing polluting fluids and debris from a body of water comprising:

a rotatable shaft position above a body of water for supporting thereon said endless belt conveyor,

an endless belt disposed on said shaft and extending by gravity only and freely downwardly into contact with said body of water, drive means operatively associated with said rotatable shaft for mobilizing said endless belt so as to bring successive areas of the belt into contact with the polluted water and a wiper blade positioned in intimate contact with the exterior surface of the belt so as to remove polluting fluids therefrom,

said endless belt being characterized by flight means affixed to the exterior surface thereof for collecting and transporting debris from the water and toward a receptacle area and track means affixed to said belt adjacent each said flights for lifting said wiper blade thereover as the blade passes by.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper blade is biasedly supported against the direction of belt movement and is positioned adjacent to the point on said belt where said flights are emptied so that debris therefrom falls onto the blade and is directed therefrom into said receptacle area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper blade is characterized by means thereon for enhancing movement of the blade over said flight means.

4. The apparatus of claim I which further includes a trough positioned with respect to movement of the belt as to receive therein the oil and film removed from the belt surface by the wiper.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said trough is further characterized by an opening therein throughwhich said endless belt means is adapted to travel.

6. An apparatus for removing oil and debris from a body of water comprising:

an endless belt means adapted to remove the oil and debris from the water,

drive means operatively connected to said endless belt means so as to bring successive portions thereof into retrieving relation to the water,

a wiper blade positioned in intimate contact with the surface of the belt means so as to remove oil therefrom,

flight means affixed to the belt surface contacted by said wiper blade for collecting said transporting debris from the water and toward a receptacle area, and

track means affixed to said belt adjacent each said flight means for lifting said wiper blade thereover as the conveyor passes by.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said flight means reside in the configuration of a scoop having a bottom and side walls, the bottom including a plurality of prongs extending outwardly for enhancing retrieval of debris from the body of water as the endless belt is introduced therein.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said scoops are further characterized by an opening through which polluting fluids and water may escape. 

1. In an endless belt conveyor apparatus for removing polluting fluids and debris from a body of water comprising: a rotatable shaft position above a body of water for supporting thereon said endless belt conveyor, an endless belt disposed on said shaft and extending by gravity only and freely downwardly into contact with said body of water, drive means operatively associated with said rotatable shaft for mobilizing said endless belt so as to bring successive areas of the belt into contact with the polluted water and a wiper blade positioned in intimate contact with the exterior surface of the belt so as to remove polluting fluids therefrom, said endless belt being characterized by flight means affixed to the exterior surface thereof for collecting and transporting debris from the water and toward a receptacle area, and track means affixed to said belt adjacent each said flights for lifting said wiper blade thereover as the blade passes by.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper blade is biasedly supported against the direction of belt movement and is positioned adjacent to the point on said belt where said flights are emptied so that debris therefrom falls onto the blade and is directed therefrom into said receptacle area.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper blade is characterized by means thereon for enhancing movement of the blade over said flight means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes a trough positioned with respect to movement of the belt as to receive therein the oil and film removed from the belt surface by the wiper.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said trough is further characterized by an opening therein throughwhich said endless belt means is adapted to travel.
 6. An apparatus for removing oil and debris from a body of water comprising: an endless belt means adapted to remove the oil anD debris from the water, drive means operatively connected to said endless belt means so as to bring successive portions thereof into retrieving relation to the water, a wiper blade positioned in intimate contact with the surface of the belt means so as to remove oil therefrom, flight means affixed to the belt surface contacted by said wiper blade for collecting said transporting debris from the water and toward a receptacle area, and track means affixed to said belt adjacent each said flight means for lifting said wiper blade thereover as the conveyor passes by.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said flight means reside in the configuration of a scoop having a bottom and side walls, the bottom including a plurality of prongs extending outwardly for enhancing retrieval of debris from the body of water as the endless belt is introduced therein.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said scoops are further characterized by an opening through which polluting fluids and water may escape. 